Amid the deepening housing crisis in the country, the Greek government, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is considering introducing a punitive tax on owners of empty properties, reports To Vima, quoted by Focus.
The housing sector in Greece remains under serious pressure due to growing demand and insufficient supply. According to the proposal, the measure would affect owners who keep their properties uninhabited and refuse to participate in renovation programs that would make them suitable for rental or sale.
The approach is inspired by practices in France and Ireland, where similar taxes have already been introduced. In France, for example, empty homes are taxed at 17% of the assessed rental value in the first year, doubling the rate in the second. In Ireland, the penalty tax on vacant properties can be up to five times the standard property tax.
According to many analysts, the problem particularly affects young people, who, due to their low incomes, have difficulty finding affordable housing. This forces some of them to leave the country in search of better living and working conditions.